Showdown: The Inside Story of How Obama Battled the GOP to Set Up the 2012 Election (Paperback)

Description

Heading into the 2012 campaign, Barack Obama was coming off of a period of bitter battles with an emboldened Republican opposition dedicated to impeding his presidency. These crises and fierce debates transformed Obama and profoundly shaped the terrain for what would be his last election.

Drawing on interviews with high-ranking White House officials, Obama's inner circle, members of Congress, and others, David Corn takes the reader into the Oval Office and the back rooms on Capitol Hill for a fast-paced and gripping account of the major clashes and events that defined Obama's presidency, including the controversial tax-cut deal with Congress, the repeal of Don't Ask/Don't Tell, the near shutdown of the government, the killing of Osama bin Laden, and the intense, high-wire debt-ceiling face-off.

A vivid and powerful account of White House decision making, Showdown offers a unique and enlightening look at the turbulent American political scene during one of the most consequential moments of the nation's history, and explains the fascinating and complicated leader at the heart of this vortex.

About the Author

David Corn is the Washington bureau chief for Mother Jones magazine and an analyst for MSNBC and NBC News. He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Hubris (with Michael Isikoff) and The Lies of George W. Bush, and regularly provides commentary on National Public Radio.

Praise For…

“A great book - the real inside story. If you want to understand the Obama White House and how Washington works, you have to read it.” -Chris Matthews

“A dramatic behind-the-scenes account of the decision making that occured within the Obama White House following the disastrous-for-Democrats 2010 midterm election... shows how Obama got his groove back in time for the 2012 campaign.” -Huffington Post

“Through the lens of policy battles, you get a remarkably vivid pen portrait of Obama himself and how he thinks.” -Kevin Drum, Mother Jones

“Fine book about how the Obama administration maneuvered to it’s advantage in the face of the catastrophic loses of the 2010 midterm elections.” -Charles P. Pierce, Esquire

“Why did Obama and Democrats pivot so hard towards deficit reductions, and away from job creation after the 2010 elections? We now have a book that sheds some fresh light on what drove this pivot. ... Corn reports on a number of behind the scene discussions...illuminating.” -Greg Sargent, the Washington Post

“Showdown chronicles the administration over the past two years.” -USA Today

“Veteran Washington journalist Corn highlights the Obama presidency’s most important and dramatic events ... the book brings a different perspective just as Obama fights for re-election.” -Publishers Weekly